


Valentine

by VJuniorVasquez



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:42:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22720099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VJuniorVasquez/pseuds/VJuniorVasquez
Summary: Ash and Gou's first Valentine's Day together was something special...
Relationships: Gou/Satoshi | Ash Ketchum
Comments: 3
Kudos: 85





	Valentine

“I don’t get Valentine’s Day”

“Add that to the long list of things Ash Ketchum doesn’t understand” Koharu commented, and Gou chuckled

The boys were accompanying the girl to school that February 14th morning, and Ash couldn’t help to notice the surprising amount of couples roaming the streets, even at that hour.

“It’s just flowers, chocolate and teddy bears everywhere, nothing else!” He complained

“Well, what else did you expect?”

“That’s the thing, I expected _something else._ I thought seeing the couples would give me an idea for today’s date!”

“D-date?” Gou stammered, and Ash grinned

“Of course, we’ll be having a date later today, right?”

Gou remained silent, yes, Ash and him were a couple since a few weeks, but he never expected he would be so… straightforward. Before he could say something, Koharu interjected:

“Aside from the fact that that was the worst way of inviting someone to a date I’ve ever seen… Where are you taking him?”

“There’s this new place that opened a few blocks away last week, it’s awesome and…”

“Please tell me is not an All-you-can-eat Buffet” the girl interrupted again

“Is not” Ash said, and neither Koharu nor Gou believed him “Fine, it is! But I don’t know what else to do! I’m not good with these things, you know?”

“I noticed” Gou commented “And frankly, I don’t mind”

The boy made a bold move, and wrapped his arm around Ash, adding:

“Every time I’m with you is a good time, Ash, I’m sure tonight will be fantastic”

“Also, I have a surprise for you, and you wouldn’t guess what it is, not in a million years”

“Can you give me a clue?” Gou questioned

“It’s in my backpack, it’s little, it’s blue, it’s made of crystal and it has an effect that only I can trigger”

Gou scratched his head, those were a lot of clues, but they were so random that he would never guess what Ash’s surprise was, so he decided to wait instead.

In that moment, Ash’s phone rang; he took it out and saw it was a picture of Serena, Clemont and Bonnie

‘Happy Valentine’s Day!

We miss you!’

“Awww… my Kalos Gang” Ash said, and Koharu chuckled at the nickname “But I don’t get it, why they wished me a Happy Valentine?”

“Please don’t tell me you think Valentine’s only for couples” Gou said

“I always thought that!” Ash replied “Is a day to spend with the person you love, in my case, my boyfriend” He finished, hugging Gou

“Not only with me…” The boy replied, blushing “It’s not exclusive for couples”

“Is not?”

“Of course not, you silly. Here, let me show you” Koharu said, grabbing him by the arm

“Don’t you have to go to school?”

“I’d prefer not to go there today…” She said in a low voice

Gou and Ash looked at each other and decided it was better not to ask questions…

Their first stop, Professor Sakuragi’s Park, was filled with giant heart-shaped pokeblocks and balloons.

“Your father’s idea?” Ash asked, looking at Koharu

“I helped him”

“Really? You? Spending time with Pokemon?”

“I never said I dislike them, you dummy, I just don’t love them as much as any of you, but… I had a good time with them earlier today. They’re fine, I suppose”

The three friends waved at all the Pokemon, who replied enthusiastically.

“Pokemon have their own way of celebrating Valentine’s” Gou explained “just look at Scorbunny and Pikachu”

The duo was currently engaged in a speed competition against Scyther and Pinsir, with some of the other Pokemon cheering for each one of them.

“You can spend Valentine’s with your friends” Gou said “And it can be just as fun as being with your couple”

The three humans stayed there for a few minutes, watching the race. Pinsir was about to win, but stopped right in front of a field of flowers and started to pick them one by one. He then flew around the Park, giving one to any Pokemon he could find.

“Your Pinsir’s a softie” Koharu said, and Gou didn’t argued, he knew she was right

The Stag Beetle Pokemon then started showering Ash and Gou with flowers, much to their surprise, he then landed in front of Koharu, offering the girl one last flower

“Thanks” she said, patting Pinsir’s head “have a nice Valentine’ you too”

Pinsir blushed and hugged her, Koharu started to laugh, and Ash and Gou had to admit she hasn’t laughed like that in quite a long time

“Yamp! Yamp!”

The boys turned around only to see Yamper barking at them

“It’s fine!” Koharu shouted “You don’t have to worry, Yamper”

The Puppy Pokemon stopped and Ash kneeled in front of him

“Would you let me hug you? Just today, for Valentine’s! Can I?” He asked

“Yam!”

“Did he just say yes?” Gou wondered

Ash didn’t wait for a confirmation and hug the puppy, who immediately shocked him

“I guess some Pokemon act the same way every day of the year” Koharu mused

Ash simply responded by exhaling a cloud of smoke from his mouth

Pikachu and Scorbunny decided to join their trainers, and when all of them were about to leave the Lab, Renji stopped them:

“Could you give your father these files?” He asked, giving some papers to Koharu

“The Professor’s not here today?” Ash wondered

“He’s going to spend Valentine’s with his wife. Kikuna and I will be taking care of the researches in the meantime”

“You got her something for today?” Ash asked

Renji immediately blushed

“W-why I-I’d do that?” He stammered, and the girl of the group grinned

“You know… Valentine’s day?”

In that moment, Renji’s Magnemite came out of his Pokeball and started launch heart-shaped thunder waves into the air, Pikachu and Yamper started to jump excitedly, trying to imitate the movement

“Francoise, stop, this is not the moment! She’s not here!”

Magnemite obeyed and Renji looked down, embarrassed

“See you later Renji” Gou said, smiling and turning around

Before leaving the place, Koharu added

“And good luck with your confession!”

Renji blushed again, but nodded gratefully

“Ash, is everything okay?” Gou asked “You haven’t said a word since we left the lab”

“What if I said no?” He whispered, and neither his boyfriend nor Koharu understood what he meant, so he continued

“You confessed to me in Christmas, remember?”

“How could I ever forget?”

“What If I said I didn’t felt the same way? Or... What If I was in love with you, but you didn’t?”

“That’s called unrequited love” Koharu explained

“That exists?” Ash questioned, genuinely surprised

Gou look at the people walking around them and noticed some of them were alone, some of them had a half-smile, hope evident in their faces, others were just sad, and he realized not everyone were so lucky as him. He had a kind, sweet and loving boyfriend in his life, how many people could say that?

“Heartbreak is more common than you may think Ash” He whispered, and they continued their walk

It was almost noon when Gou asked their friends to stop by the piers before going to Sakuragi’s home, and they all agreed, intrigued by the petition.

“Look!” He shouted when they reached their destiny “They are here!”

His friends ran behind him and were surprised to found a group of Seel and Dewgong sleeping at the piers, Gou took out his phone and called Renji

“You found them?” the assistant asked, and Gou nodded excitedly, a few seconds later, Renji went to see Gou’s Dewgong

“Your trainer has a surprise for you” He explained, and Dewgong stared at the phone's screen

“I know I may never find that female Dewgong you liked, but… I didn’t wanted you to spend this Valentine’s heartbroken”

Dewgong clapped happily, and Gou spent the next few minutes choosing and catching a partner for him. When Dewgong clapped again, Gou knew he made the right choice, he said goodbye to his Pokemon, promising him he would get his partner at the Lab as soon as he could, and then ended the call.

Meanwhile, Ash had been staring at a fisherman, who was focused on his activity, Ash noticed he was alone and a thought crossed his mind:

“Hey, Koharu”

“Yes?”

“Does everyone have to be accompanied on Valentine’s Day?”

“No, that would be stupid”

“What do you mean?”

“Some people prefer to be alone, and there’s nothing wrong with that”

Ash looked down. Pikachu and Scorbunny were chasing each other as usual, and he continued:

“I don’t remember if I felt alone in the past. Pikachu has always being by my side”

“I bet he was” she replied “But some people don’t like Pokemon, and some others just enjoy being alone some times. Valentine’s day is just another day of the year for those people…”

“Did you ever know someone who preferred to be alone?”

“Not exactly” she replied, looking at her right “Gou used to say he didn’t needed friends, and I always knew he was pretending, but then…”

“Then what?”

“Then you came into his life… I’m glad he found you” She finished with a smile, and Ash imitated the gesture

“Do you think everybody will find someone like Gou someday?”

“I think it’s just a matter of time, one day, the right person will appear for everyone… They could be anywhere, behind the mountains, across the sea, on the other side of the world, or even right next to them…”

“Did the right person appear for you?”

Koharu huffed and didn’t say a word, not even when Gou returned with his new catch and the three of them started to walk to her house again.

Although she returned home a few minutes after the regular time, Koharu’s parents knew she didn’t go to school that day. Both of them decided to not press on the topic, and Ash and Gou resolved the same.

“I’m so glad I met you, Ash” Koharu’s mother said with a smile “Gou and you look so cute together!”

Both boys blushed and turned away, unused to the compliment, the lady giggled again and started to sketch something in her tablet. She then handed them the object and asked:

“So, how does it look?”

It was a drawing of Ash and Gou, smiling and blushing side by side. The couple was delighted, and amazed by the speed and ability of Koharu’s mother.

Sakuragi saw the drawing over the boys’ head and approached his wife, hugging her from the back

“So talented, as always…”

“Dad…” Koharu warned

“Credit is yours, honey” His wife replied “You chose them to be your researchers, you’re quite the matchmaker”

“Miss Sakuragi!” Ash and Gou protested, blushing

The whole family let out a laugh, and the Professor said:

“Koharu, come to the kitchen…. We need to talk”

She huffed and followed him

After hearing Koharu’s voice in the other room, Gou’s curiosity forced him to eavesdrop a little, Ash followed him closely.

“Are you mad at me?” Koharu asked, giving her father the papers from Renji’s research

“You should have told us that you weren’t going to school today” the Professor replied “But it’s okay, we get that you don’t feel comfortable”

Koharu nodded, and immediately turned around, angrily

“Would the four of you stop snooping around?” She shouted, and Ash, Gou, Pikachu and Scorbunny entered the room, ashamed

“Since you’re all here” she said, huffing again “I guess I owe you an explanation”

His father smiled and left the room

“Every Valentine’s Day, every single student I my class gives me a card or a gift”

“I don’t see how that’s a problem” Ash commented

“You are one of the most popular girls in school” Gou added

“You don’t get it; you’re supposed to be in love with someone if you do that, at least you have to appreciate someone”

She paused for a moment and then continued:

“Everyone gives me a card because I’m the Professor’s daughter, everyone wants to spend time with me just because of that… That’s why I hate Valentine’s Day. No one is sincere today”

Gou looked at Ash and nodded, he smiled, understanding his intentions. Both boys hugged Koharu at the same time, and pressed their cheeks against her face.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Koharu” Gou said

“You don’t have to do this” the girl said, confused

“But we want to” Ash replied “We are your friends, we care about you”

Pikachu leapt towards the girl, and she hugged him, realizing the electric Pokemon never done that to her. Scorbunny climbed to her head and stayed there.

“Thank you guys…” she said

Ash pulled out his phone and took a picture of them, he then send it to all of his friends and added the message:

‘Happy Valentine’s Day!

Missing you all!’

“Well…” Koharu interrupted “As much as I like your affection guys, you two should get ready for your date”

“Actually…” Ash muttered “Can I change our plans a little bit?”

“A little bit?” Gou questioned

“Fine, maybe a lot”

Gou raised an eyebrow, but accepted either way.

The couple said goodbye to Koharu and her family and returned to the Lab, Renji refused to talk about what happened with Kikuna but the blush in his face indicated that something good had happened. Dewgong’s partner seemed equally as energetic and happy about life as Gou’s Dewgong, who thanked his trainer over and over again.

After leaving Pikachu and Scorbunny in the Lab and exiting the building, Gou questioned:

“So… What are your plans?”

“Your parents have to work until the morning, right?”

Gou nodded, wondering what mad idea his boyfriend had… Instead, he simply said:

“I want to pay a visit to your grandma”

“Oh…”

“It’s just… I like the way she always treat us, and wanted to thank her for that…”

“Sounds like a good idea” His boyfriend agreed

“My darlings!” Gou’s grandmother said, pulling both boys into a hug “What a pleasant surprise!”

“Happy Valentine’s Day!” Ash shouted

He knew Gou’s grandma was a kind and lovable person, but also very lonely, she had lost her husband even before Gou was born, and he didn’t know if she liked to touch the topic, but after his talk with Koharu, Ash felt that the woman shouldn’t be alone on Valentine’s Day.

The old lady was very perceptive and looking at Ash, asked:

“What do you want to know?”

“How…”

“You have that curious look in your eyes, you’re about to ask me something but you’re unsure about it. Gou used to have that same look all the time when he was little”

“Grandma!” the boy shouted, embarrassed, and she simply laughed

“How did it feel spending Valentine’s with your husband?”

The lady smiled, and motioned the boys to follow her outside, in the back of the house, there was a little rock planted in the ground

“This is where I come when I want to remember him. We shared our lives together in this same house, for so many years… It was fantastic. But… Why did you ask?”

“Everyone has someone special on Valentine’s Day” Ash explained “But what about those who lost that special person?”

“Ash, I don’t think she wants to…”

“It’s fine dear” She said, interrupting her grandson “People like me survive on memories boys. A song, a fragrance, a picture… The ones we once loved are no more by our side, and no matter what we do, they won’t return…”

The lady went silent for a second, and then continued:

“But the passage of time is a reckless enemy, and as more time passes, memories start to fade away…”

She let out a few tears, and her grandson and his boyfriend hugged her. Ash opened his backpack and pulled out Gou’s surprise, saying:

“I wanted to give you this for Valentine’s Gou, but after all I’ve seen today, I think your grandma might need it more”

He planted the object in the ground, next to the little rock, and Gou’s grandma wondered:

“What is it?”

“It’s called a Time Flower”

“I thought time flowers were a legend” she said “But dear, why do you think I might need it more than Gou?”

Ash pointed to the flower, and the lady touched it, Ash then closed his eyes and focused his Aura in the object, which opened slightly. A grey light flooded the area, and an image projected between them.

Gou’s grandma, much younger, was dancing with a man. He touched her cheek, and the woman whispered:

“What do we do now?”

“Now we wait” He replied “And we pray everything goes well”

She looked at her belly, and Ash and Gou noticed she was pregnant.

“And in the meantime?”

“In the meantime” He gave her a soft kiss on the lips and touched her belly softly “Midnight, the stars, you and our future baby boy… What else could I possibly need?”

The Time Flower closed, and the image disappeared.

“You said that people like you survive on memories. I was planning to relive my first kiss with Gou, but the two of us have the rest of our lives to create new memories, some people just don’t have that. So every time you want to remember your husband, give me a call” Ash explained “I’ll use my Aura, and you’ll have another memory”

“Each time you and your boyfriend visit me Gou, he impresses me more and more” the lady commented

“Me too” Gou whispered, having no idea how Ash did that.

The trainer simply took his boyfriend’s hand and said:

“I know maybe this isn’t what you expected but…”

“I told you before, anytime with you is a great time” Gou insisted "But there's something I need to know"

"Ask ahead"

"Where did you get a Time Flower?"

Ash wasn't going to tell him about Mew and the Tree of Beginning, not yet, that was a surprise for another time.

“Happy Valentine’s Day” the boy said for all response, and without expecting a reply, he planted a sweet kiss on Gou’s lips, both boys fell into the spell so quickly and so deep that they forgot someone was watching them

“Let me get the camera boys” Gou’s Grandma said, rushing inside of the house “This is a memory none of us wants to forget!”

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentine's Day guys!  
> Remember that we all have someone out there who cares about us, which means that none of us is actually alone...  
> I'm taking a break (a little one, I hope) so reviews, comments and ideas will be extra-appreciated this time  
> See you soon!


End file.
